Short stories about Kia Sorento recalls, lawsuits, and other interesting bits. Signup to have these stories emailed to you for free from CarComplaints.com.
Proving once again that when it comes to engines that catch on fire, people generally aren't fans. The automakers have settled similar lawsuits and issued recalls for these clunkers, but the plaintiff suggests not all affected vehicles were included.…
keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Not Enough Vehicles Were Covered in the Theta II Recalls"It’s about time. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was petitioned to look into these non-collision fires last June. They are responsible for 77 injuries and 1 death. The investigation will focus on the Theta II engine, but the NHTSA plans on looking into tail lights and other potential combustion sources as well .…
keep reading article "NHTSA Opens Investigation into Non-Collision Kia Fires"This lets gas can spray out onto hot surfaces and is the perfect recipe for engine fires. To make matters worse, these engines were the replacements for recalled engines that suffered from knocking and seizing due to widespread oil flow problems. Yeesh.…
keep reading article "Even Kia’s Replacement Engines Are Catching on Fire"Much higher than you’d think, especially if you’re one of these 3 million Hyundai and Kia owners. The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) has put together a list of vehicles that they say should be taken off the road until a pending government investigation ends with a comprehensive recall.…
keep reading article "Are 3 Million Hyundai and Kia Cars Too Dangerous to Drive?"The cowl crossbars that connect to the motor-driven power steering column may not have been welded properly. If the welds are too weak the power steering columns could separate. That seems less than ideal if you’re a fan of being able to control your SUV.
Want to know if your vehicle is involved? Grab your VIN, give Kia a call at 800-333-4542, and ask about recall number SC167.
keep reading article "Steering Column Separation in the 2018 Sorento"The inflator in the side curtain airbag module is equipped with a "top hat diffuser" that may not have been formed properly during manufacturing. If the side curtain airbag deploys in a crash, the airbag may not deploy correctly to protect an occupant in a crash.
My favorite antidote, however, is this little nugget—The diffuser can also detach and hit occupants when the airbags deploy.
Talk about insult to injury.
keep reading article "2018 Sorento Recalled for Side Curtain Airbag Issues"Kia also says it's possible failed crankshafts could cause fires, so dealers will need to inspect the crankshafts and if needed, replace the engine sub assemblies.
If your crankshaft breaks it’s going to be a bad day. A fire would just be the cherry on top.
keep reading article "Failing Crankshafts May Catch on Fire in the 2017 Sorento"The engines can allegedly fail at any time while driving any speed, leaving owners in dangerous driving conditions once the engines stall. According to the plaintiffs, damage to the connecting rod bearings causes metal shavings to appear in the oil.
A few months ago, Kia recalled 618,000 vehicles with Theta II engines that shipped with metal shavings due to a faulty manufacturing process. The recall only covered certain vehicles up to the 2014 model year.…
keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Connecting Rod Bearing Create Even More Metal Shavings for the Theta II Engine"They want to know if Hyundai and Kia did enough and fast enough concerning the recalls of nearly 1.7 million vehicles with Theta engines prone to a lot of noise and finally locking up.
At this point, we know the widespread engine problems are caused by metallic debris left behind during mechanical deburring on the assembly line. Those tiny bits of metal are carried through the engine by oil, wreaking havoc on the way.…
keep reading article "Why Did it Take So Long to Recall the Theta II Engine?"Kia is recalling more than 618,000 model year 2011-2014 Kia Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles because the engine bearings can wear out too early and cause the engines to seize. The automaker says machining problems occurred during manufacturing, something dealers will need to fix by replacing the engine assemblies.
We’ve been tracking Theta II engine problems for a while and let’s just say … they’re not good.…
keep reading article "Kia is Recalling the Notoriously Defective Theta II Engine"The plaintiffs claim Kia knew about the problems but concealed that knowledge from consumers and refused to cover repair costs under warranty … Kia says it agreed to settle the class-action lawsuit to save on the expense of additional legal costs. However, the automaker has not admitted any wrongdoing concerning the bolts.
Admission of fault or not, this settlement could mean up to $4,900 for owners of the 3.5L Sorentos manufactured between March 1, 2002 to June 12, 2006. All claims for benefits under this settlement must be postmarked or submitted by May 17, 2017.
keep reading article "Crankshaft Pulley Bolt Lawsuit Settled by Kia"The [lawsuit] targets the Theta 2-liter and 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection engines, also known as GDI engines. According to the plaintiffs, the engines contain defects that cause a restriction of oil flow through the connecting rod bearings and other parts of the engines.
Hyundai is facing a similar lawsuit that is currently awaiting final class-action approval.
keep reading article "Theta II Engine Lawsuit Says the GDI Engines Have Oil Flow Problems"According to a new lawsuit, these engines contain defects that cause a restriction of oil flow through the connecting rod bearings and other parts of the engines. In turn, the engines can stall without warning.
The plaintiffs say Kia knows about the Theta engine problems, but refuses to freely repair the engines or order a recall. Another Theta II engine case with Sonata owners is awaiting final settlement approval.
keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Kia Theta Engines Are Defective"The best way to find out what's wrong with a vehicle is from the people who drive them. Not only do owner complaints help us rank vehicles by reliability, but they're often used to spark class-action lawsuits and warranty extensions. Plus, they're a great way to vent.